November 22, 1963
Background of Assassination
In 1963 a world-changing event happened in the United States of America. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas after only being in office for a total of 1, 037 days. Kennedy came from a Democratic family who was well-known politically. Kennedy was well-liked and highly respected by many, although Dallas was an exception where most hated him. Dallas at that time had a murder rate twice the national average and a verbal and aggressive anti-Kennedy element; it was a dangerous scene for Kennedy.
Security That Day
Before Kennedy landed in Dallas two-man, special agents, went to Dallas before to scout out the city for protective reasons. Then the Secret Service had about 300 special agents in the Secret Service. The protection given to Kennedy was not as strong, “At seven agents per shift, John F Kennedy’s Secret Service detail consisted of about twenty-four agents, including supervisors. Before being hired, they were taken to a range for target practice with a pistol and handed a manual. There was no other initial training”(Kessler).
The Scene
“On November 22nd, 1963 at 12:30 in the afternoon, a man with a rifle crouched behind a window in the Texas School Book Depository above Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas” (Randall). President Kennedy was in his convertible with the top down riding with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy and Mr. Connelly governor of Texas and his wife. The secret service wanted the president to use the protective bubble-top that the car had, but the president ordered the bubble-top to not be used. It was a warm and sunny day and the crowd was reacting well to the President with waving and cheering. Although, a man on the sixth-floor of the Texas School Book Depository was Lee Harvey Oswald. This man was the man who shot his rifle down to the President. There were three shots fired in total. “The shots hit President Kennedy in the neck and the head and the governor would be hit in the back and the wrist” (Lady Bird Johnson). Oswald was then killed by a Dallas night-club owner named Jack Ruby. In the end “Few deaths have ever shocked so much of the world” (Historian Herbert S Parmet) and almost every American that was alive for this knows what they were doing the time Kennedy died. This assassination was a life changing event in America.
Changes Throughout Security
This event helped change the way America protected our Presidents. The steps that we needed to take in order to ensure safety was dramatic from how little security there was for Kennedy. In 1963 Congress passes legislation for the protection for the wife and minor children of the President. They are not only there to protect the Presidents family but security is authorized by law to protect the immediate families of the vice president, or other individual next in order to succession to the office of the president and the president and vice president elect. Children of all past and current presidents under the age of 16 are all protected as well. Also after Robert F Kennedy’s assassination all candidates and vice candidates nominees are authorized for protection including wife’s and children until age 16. Also the Secret Service is also authorized to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates and spouses within 120 days of the general Presidential election.
In 1963 a world-changing event happened in the United States of America. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas after only being in office for a total of 1, 037 days. Kennedy came from a Democratic family who was well-known politically. Kennedy was well-liked and highly respected by many, although Dallas was an exception where most hated him. Dallas at that time had a murder rate twice the national average and a verbal and aggressive anti-Kennedy element; it was a dangerous scene for Kennedy.
Security That Day
Before Kennedy landed in Dallas two-man, special agents, went to Dallas before to scout out the city for protective reasons. Then the Secret Service had about 300 special agents in the Secret Service. The protection given to Kennedy was not as strong, “At seven agents per shift, John F Kennedy’s Secret Service detail consisted of about twenty-four agents, including supervisors. Before being hired, they were taken to a range for target practice with a pistol and handed a manual. There was no other initial training”(Kessler).
The Scene
“On November 22nd, 1963 at 12:30 in the afternoon, a man with a rifle crouched behind a window in the Texas School Book Depository above Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas” (Randall). President Kennedy was in his convertible with the top down riding with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy and Mr. Connelly governor of Texas and his wife. The secret service wanted the president to use the protective bubble-top that the car had, but the president ordered the bubble-top to not be used. It was a warm and sunny day and the crowd was reacting well to the President with waving and cheering. Although, a man on the sixth-floor of the Texas School Book Depository was Lee Harvey Oswald. This man was the man who shot his rifle down to the President. There were three shots fired in total. “The shots hit President Kennedy in the neck and the head and the governor would be hit in the back and the wrist” (Lady Bird Johnson). Oswald was then killed by a Dallas night-club owner named Jack Ruby. In the end “Few deaths have ever shocked so much of the world” (Historian Herbert S Parmet) and almost every American that was alive for this knows what they were doing the time Kennedy died. This assassination was a life changing event in America.
Changes Throughout Security
This event helped change the way America protected our Presidents. The steps that we needed to take in order to ensure safety was dramatic from how little security there was for Kennedy. In 1963 Congress passes legislation for the protection for the wife and minor children of the President. They are not only there to protect the Presidents family but security is authorized by law to protect the immediate families of the vice president, or other individual next in order to succession to the office of the president and the president and vice president elect. Children of all past and current presidents under the age of 16 are all protected as well. Also after Robert F Kennedy’s assassination all candidates and vice candidates nominees are authorized for protection including wife’s and children until age 16. Also the Secret Service is also authorized to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates and spouses within 120 days of the general Presidential election.